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Thursday, September 23, 2010

Cinderella: Best Dressmaking Scene Ever?

I'm just going to go right out and say it: I don't think there's a more memorable sewing scene in pop culture than the one in Cinderella. Last month, I posted about the most cherished movie dresses of my childhood, and I was delighted by how many of you mentioned "Cinderelly's" dress, sewn by her little mice and bird friends.

I re-watched this scene last night (see the full clip below), and I was amazed by how vividly it brought back emotions and memories; I hadn't realized how strongly these images were imprinted in my mind. As a kid, I loved the mice ladies measuring out the trim, the cutting of the ribbon at the perfect length, and especially the illustrated dressmaking book they consult (hmm, there's a little foreshadowing into my adulthood!)

For the fellow femi-nazis in the house, there is a depressing little line from one of the female mice when one of the guys tries to help out: "Leave the sewing to the women, now you go get some trimmin'." (Though it must be noted that one of the men is shown sewing later on in the scene.) I did have to wonder: would the line have been the same today? Can you imagine a modern animated movie where the dude mice help out with the sewing? I'm honestly not sure either way, but it's an interesting thing to ponder.

Big questions aside, I think the best thing is that memories of this film span several generations. Though the Disney film debuted in 1950, I loved it as a child in the 80s, and it remains required viewing for kids today. And no matter how much time goes by, the sewing scene is firmly established as a part of our cultural memory. I loved Austin Scarlet's remark on an episode of On the Road with Austin and Santino (which you know is one of my favorite shows ever) that he wanted to sew a dress together with "little mice hand stitches." I think we all know what pop culture phenomenon he was referring to!

And now, for your enjoyment, the beloved scene. Can you feel the nostalgia up in here?

When my DD was little, this was the first VHS tape I bought for her (it was such new technology!) and we both loved to sit down and watch the whole thing. After she outgrew those movies, it was the only one I kept for sentimental reasons. I also loved the way the animation captured the movement of the fabric - throughout the entire movie. Very special!

I think the scene might be repeated nowadays but in a more subtle way :)I wish I could sew, but instead of little mice sewing hands I have huge stick-no-motor-coordination-at-all hands :DThat can change, hopefully!Have a beautiful day ;)xoxo

I have been watching that movie a lot lately (I have a 3 year old daughter) and i actually think Cinderella is the least sexist of the Disney princess movies. Cinderella doesn't want to go to the ball to find a prince to save her, she just wants to go to a party. And she falls for the prince without even realizing he is a princeMy little girl has taken to singing 'we can do it, we can do it' when I am sewing. I think that movie will make her want to make dresses too!

I also love the dressmaking scene in Sleeping Beauty, when the fairies are attempting to make a ballgown (and a cake) with no magic, and have no clue what they're doing - one fairy just flings a piece of cloth over another's head and starts snipping and tying ribbons around... Adorable!

I saw Disney's Cinderella once as a child, and was a bit bored. It was a far cry from the original Grim(m) story (pun intended) which I knew and loved. If I have to come up with a sentimental sewing related movie scene, it would have to be the one in 'Sound of Music': Maria dancing and singing because she knows she can make the von Trapp children play-clothes out of her old curtains. Yes, I know that was first done in 'Gone with the wind' but I never saw that movie as a little girl.

Thanks Gertie for bringing some fun memories back! The Cinderelly song has always staid in my memory. I bust it out every once in a while. I watched the clip with my daughter on my lap. Fun way to start my day. Now if those mice could come help me with my Lady Grey.

Gertie, Speaking of wonderful dress making things for kids I came across this set at a store near me and bought it even though my daughter is not quite old enough yet. It was just so cool! http://www.amazon.com/Faber-Castell-1252-Fashion-Design/dp/B000QY696E/ref=sr_1_15?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1285260405&sr=1-15

It's funny because, for me, "Little mouse hand stitches" bring to mind the Beatrix Potter story "The Tailor of Gloucester." (Maybe this is because I only saw Disney's "Cinderella" once before my mother banned Disney from the house?) I always loved that the line about the stitches being so small you could have sworn they were made by mice. :)

Thank you to those who brought The Tailor of Gloucester to my attention! I'm reading it online . . . what a delightful little book. I agree that it's probably far more likely that Austin used Potter as his cultural reference!

as someone who wishes she had minions to recreate vintage clothes for her, I whole heartedly agree with you. I'm pretty sure my heart about melted the first time I saw this scene as a girl. I wish my own attempts at home sewing were nearly as musical.

I used to love that song and sang it all the time when I was little. And, personally, if I had seen Gus Gus with those scissors, I would have sent the boys away, too. And you know Jack would have probably sewn himself to something.

I think the only thing close to this in recent movies is the scene in Enchanted where she makes herself a dress from the drapes and then has pigeons, rats, and roaches clean the house. I do love that part.

I remember this scene vividly. Another dressmaking scene I'm reminded of is the one from Pretty in Pink. When I first saw the dressmaking scene in this movie I cringed (as a fellow child of the eighties) when she cuts into the vintage dresses to make her eighties dress monstrosity! Thanks for the great memories.

Along with Cinderella another Disney movie where a little "magical" sewing goes on is Sleeping Beauty when the three Fairy Godmothers try to make a dress for Briar Rose and the chaos that ensues when they try to do it by hand without using magic. This was another all time favorite movie for myself as well as my daughter and brings back happy memories.

"The stitches of those button-holes were so small—so small—they looked as if they had been made by little mice!THE END"

This quote from The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter is another candidate. But, I LOVE the Cinderelly scene! Their little voices whrn they say, We can make Cinderelly's dress REALLY pretty! is so precious.

Ooh! thanks for bringing up that scene from Enchanted! I howled with laughter, as did DH and everyone in the theater during the cleaning and sewing with all the NYC "helpers". Oh that was a fun movie too.

You know, ahem, when I saw Cinderella, it would have been in a movie theater, because there wasn't any video back in the day (I get older by the second). But I loved that sewing scene, and it too must have imprinted on my little psyche. I started sewing for real soon after that. :-)

You know I've never seen this film! I always hark back to my little collection of Ladybird story books (the 60s ones?) in which Cinders had not one but THREE frocks: pink, yellow and sparkly white and gold (I've always been indecisive too) and the little piles of brightly coloured leathers in The Elves and the Shoemaker. Not to mention Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.

My absolute favourite sewing scene is in Batman Returns when Michelle Pfeiffer makes her Catwoman suit on a pink sewing machine. She also wears the most amazing black and white winter coat which I still want after all these years.

I love this scene and so does my three year old daughter - who I do sew dresses for. After she saw this for the first time (about six months ago) she was AMAZED and since then all I have to do is say I am sewing a dress like the mice do for Cinderella - but it is for her - and she is enthralled with the idea and sometimes even helps. 'And we make a lovely dress for Cinderelly.' She understands and admires her mumum sewing so much more now!